Opening Welcome and Acknowledgment of Vaccine-Injured Canadians

Day 3 · 0:00:51 · Jason Lavigne

• 🙏 Host welcomes viewers in Ottawa and online, thanking over 1,400 vaccine-injured applicants who trusted the inquiry with their stories.
• 💔 Prior testimony highlighted financial devastation, lost incomes, depleted savings, and lives changed from active lifestyles to mobility aids.
• 📢 Independent media is credited for amplifying voices as the inquiry continues documenting medical care, recognition, and compensation challenges.

Day 3 opens with gratitude to witnesses and a focus on human impacts beyond physical injury.

Social Media Surge and Mainstream Media Absence →

Transcript

Jason Lavigne · 0:00:51

Good morning everyone and, uh, welcome back to the Allison Inquiry LIVE. To everyone joining us here in Ottawa and to those watching online from across Canada and around the world, thank you for tuning in. More and most importantly, I want to acknowledge the more than 1,400 vaccine-injured Canadians who applied to appear as a witness before this inquiry and many others who continue to come forward. To each of you Thank you for trusting us with your story. We know we can't hear from every one of you during this four days, but that does not mean your experience is any less important. We still want to hear your story, and we want to continue collecting and documenting those experiences. I also want to thank everyone who testified yesterday and the day before and had the courage to share deeply personal and, in many cases, heartbreaking stories yesterday. We heard about the extraordinary financial toll these injuries have had on individuals and their families. We've heard of people spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on treatments.

Jason Lavigne · 0:01:53

We've heard about businesses being sold, homes being sold or refinanced, and savings completely being depleted. For many, the financial impact comes from both directions. They lose their ability to earn an income at the very same time their medical expenses are increasing. And behind those financial losses are the lives that have been dramatically changed. We heard from people who describe themselves as healthy and active before their injuries, people who walked as well as some who really walked. We heard of someone who walked across the country, golfed, danced, worked, and in one case ran over 20 kilometers every other day, who now face serious limitations including the use of a wheelchair, or walking with a cane. These are not simply numbers on a page. These are people's lives. I want to also continue to recognize the independent media who are here with us and who have helped give vaccine-injured Canadians a platform to tell their stories.

Jason Lavigne · 0:02:53

The level of public interest has been remarkable. On X alone, as of this morning, there's been more than 170,000 posts. Think about that. Over the last 2 days, there's been over 170,000 posts. That does not— that's not views, that's posts to the inquiry, and it is ranked among the top 10 globally for X for news in the last 2 days. These numbers do not include Facebook, Instagram, and all the live streaming many of you are doing. Over the remaining days of the inquiry, we will continue listening to Canadians who report been, uh, that who reported being injured following the COVID-19 vaccine. We'll hear what happened to them, how their lives and their families have been affected, and what happened when they sought medical care, answers, recognition, and compensation. Yesterday reminded me that the consequences described by those witnesses extend far beyond physical injury. There's a mental and emotional stress.

Jason Lavigne · 0:03:53

There is pressure placed on spouses, children, and loved ones. There is the loss of independence, and for many, there is financial devastation. Losing a job or becoming unable to work while simultaneously paying for treatments and medical care that is simply not covered by any provincial or federal programs. As a country, I believe we also need to seriously examine how we have treated vulnerable Canadians and those who came forward asking for help. Ultimately, That is what this inquiry is about— people. It's about hearing from those who say they were injured, understanding the challenges that they have faced assessing medical care and compensation, and making sure their experiences are documented and heard. For far too long, many of these Canadians have felt that nobody was listening. I also want to thank some of my fellow colleagues who have been here over the last couple of days and will continue to be here. As they listen as well. Mr. Dawson, you've been here for 3 days, and I want to, I want to, I want to thank you for that.

Jason Lavigne · 0:04:53

I say once again, this week is about listening. One of our witnesses said yesterday something that stayed with me: pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. If suffering can be reduced by listening, by showing compassion, by helping other people treat with treatment and support, and by refusing to ignore them, then surely we have an obligation to do so. That's why we're here. Let's keep listening.